Only I can
by Melissax3
Summary: After Eiji saves Sakuno and Ryoma, and Sakuno and him start spending more time together, it seems the prince is a bit jealous. Will he be able to keep his princess by him? or will jealousy get the best of him? Read and find out.
1. A walk with you

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Prince of tennis. I only own the quotes, and the plot.

Ryoma hit the ball over and over as it hit the wall and came back, he was very impatient while waiting for Sakuno to get out of class. He had promised her that he'd walk her home,

**Flashback**

It was early in the morning and Ryoma had just gotten to school, and he was very tired.

He went to his seat and laid his head down

"Ryoma-kun" a gentle voice said.

He looked up with a tired and harsh face. "Ah, Ryuzaki. What is it?"

"Ano...Ryoma-kun, um...Tomoka-chan isn't here this morning, and...I...I...don't have anyone to wa...walk home with, and it's really lonely without you..I mean anyone...so I was wondering if maybe...you'd...um..."  
"You want me to walk you home?"  
"Hai! If...if it's not too much."

"Hai..."  
"Arigato Ryoma-kun!"

**End Flashback**

She had told him to wait here, and she'd be right back, but nearly 15 minutes had passed since then. He decided to go look for her.

He looked everywhere, and found her standing in front of the school entrance, surrounded by 3 seniors who were members of the Seigaku tennis club. "So you're the grandma coach, Ryuzaki-sensei's granddaughter huh?" one of them asked.  
"H...hai" Sakuno answered

"You any good? Because we'd just _love_ a match."  
"No...not really...I..I have to go now, senpais."  
"Huh? You're leaving us? Don't be so modest. Give us a match, and if we win, we get your racquet, but if you win, we'll leave you alone..."  
"I...i...ano...please just leave me alone..."

"Mada mada dane." A familiar voice behind Sakuno said.

She turned around. "Ryoma-kun!" she cheered.  
Then out of nowhere, Eiji came in. "Leave them alone, Runo(made up name of the senior who's teasing Sakuno)"  
"Why don't you make me...Eiji?" Runo stammered.  
"So desperate to loose on the court like you have so many times already?" Eiji smiled

"Not at all...but I have to go...We'll settle this later!" Runo walked away quickly as his two buddies followed.

"Ochibi, Ryuzaki, you two alright?" Eiji asked.  
"Hai! Arigato Kikumaru-senpai." Sakuno blushed.  
Ryoma noticed this, and turned his head. "Hai..."  
"Hm?" Sakuno said out loud, wondering why Ryoma was being so cold to his friend. Eiji looked and Ryoma's expression, then over and Sakuno, and smiled knowingly. "Ah Ochibi, you could have easily taken them. You're so young...Nya."  
"You didn't exactly give me a chance" Ryoma replied. Then he glanced at Sakuno. "Ryuzaki, we better go."

"Hai, Ryoma-kun." She said with a nod.  
He took her hand, and without noticing what he was doing, he walked away, leaving Eiji.

Momoshiro appeared from behind a tree. "Konnichiwa, Eiji."  
"Ah, Momo-chan. Nya." Eiji responded. "How long have you been over there."  
"Long enough to see our Ochibi's little temper tantrum. So young." He replied.  
--------------------

"Ryoma-kun...why are we walking away so fast?" Sakuno asked.  
"You walk too slow. We need to speed up. I don't have much time." Ryoma replied as he realized he was still holding her wrist. He let go and slowed down a bit.  
"Oh.." Sakuno answered, a bit disappointed. Then a light smile formed on her face because Ryoma was taking time out of his day, which was obviously important, just to walk with her.  
"Daijobu?" Ryoma asked.  
"Oh! Hai hai!" Sakuno said, smiling even more.  
"We're here." Ryoma responded.

"...Oh...Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno said. "Ja...Ja ne"

"Hai." Ryoma answered. He walked away silently, and Sakuno was left speechless.  
----------------------------

**(Comments):**

I hope you like. Reviews are appreciated since this is my first story. I hope you enjoy. I do appreciate criticism, and yes I know this story isn't perfect, but I hope you enjoy.  
Anyway, here are the words and translations for all the Japanese I have and/or will use in this story:

-Mada mada dane: you still have a long way to go (Ryoma's favorite phrase...hopefully if you watch the anime, you probably already know that)

-Hai: yes

-Daijobu: are you okay?

-Ja ne: see you later

-Senpais: seniors

-Ano: excuse me

Also, I worked really hard on writing this so please don't copy. Thanks.


	2. Can you just call me Sakuno?

The next morning...

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!  
Ryoma awoke to the sound of his annoying alarm. "Morning already?" He said as he lay back down.  
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!  
He lay in bed for a few more minutes to think. "Hm...yesterday...yesterday...what did I do. Oh! Ryuzaki!...and...Eiji." His voice changed with the sound of Eiji's name.  
BEEP! BE-

Ryoma turned off the alarm, got dressed, got his bag, and left. Once again, he arrived at school, and laid his head on his desk. He turned his head towards Tomoka's seat. "Hm...That girl, Ryuzaki's friend. She's not here again." He mumbled. "Ohayo, Ryoma-kun." It was Sakuno. She was fiddling with her fingers, to avoid looking at him. "Ohayo, Ryuzaki." He answered. '_Why is it, every time I talk to her she always avoids looking at me...did I do something?'_ "Your friend. She's not here again. Hai?" "Hai. I..I was wond-" "You want me to walk you home again?" Sakuno nodded. "I cant. I have tennis practice." "Oh...Hai I understand." She answered. The bell rang and they took they went to class.  
-------------------------------

(In Class...)  
Hm...who am I supposed to go with now... Sakuno wondered. Why didn't I just tell Ryoma-kun that I'd wait for him...i always do. I'm so stupid...And there's no one else I'd rather go with then Ryoma-kun...no one.

Later...(3 minutes before Tennis practice.) 

Sakuno waited by the tennis courts for her prince. Instead she found Eiji. "Ah, Ryuzaki-sensei's granddaughter." "Kikumaru-senpai! Arigato for yesterday." Sakuno smiled. "Forget it. Anything for you, Ryuzaki." Eiji smiled also. "What did I do to deserve such kindness Kikumaru-senpai?" Sakuno asked as her brown eyes looked into his for an answer. "Why don't you ask Echizen?" Eiji smile got wider and he got a knowing glow in his eye. "Hm...?" Sakuno gave him a confused look. "Oh, I better get going. Sayonara." "Are you going to walk home all by yourself?" Eiji asked concerned. "Hai...Tomo-chan is sick, and Ryoma-kun...he...he has practice." Sakuno sighed. "I'll walk you home, fujin-ochibi." Eiji smiled. (I just made that up, because fujin means female in Japanese, and ochibi(small/kid/kiddo) is what they call Ryoma) "Can you just call me Sakuno, Kikumaru-senpai?" Sakuno pleaded. "Hai then, Sakuno-chan." "Arigato, Kikumaru-senpai." Sakuno added. "But...If I am to call you Sakuno-chan, then you must call me just Kikumaru, or maybe even Eiji-kun." He demanded. "Alright. Kikumaru it is. But how can you take me home. You have practice as well right?"  
"Nope, it was cancelled. We just found out a few minutes ago. Both the captain, and Oishi are gone so they decided to just postpone it." Eiji smiled even more then he had been before. "So, ready to go?" "Hai! Arigato, Kikumaru-senp...Kikumaru."

As they walked out, a voice from the distance said "Ryuzaki, why are you here? Haven't you gone home yet?"   
"Ryoma-kun. I was just leaving..." she blushed.  
Ryoma looked at her then at Eiji. "Let's go. I can walk you home now. Practice was cancelled."

"Hai, I know. Kikumaru agreed to talk me home." Sakuno smiled.  
"But you're welcome to join us Ochibi. Right, Sakuno-chan?" Eiji gave Ryoma an innocent look.  
"Humph.." he mumbled. "Fine. Let's go."  
'_Sakuno-chan? Since when did he start calling her Sakuno-chan?'_  
"Not without me you don't, Ochibi!" Momoshiro responded as he ran towards them.

As the four of them walked, they were all silent. "So...are you coming to our game this weekend?" Momoshiro asked Sakuno. "Hai, as long as Tomoka-chan get's better." She answered. "Yay! You just have to come!" Eiji cheered, as he winked at Momoshiro. Sakuno smiled, then looked at Ryoma, to see his reaction. He didn't do anything. He just kept on staring straight. Eiji and Momoshiro sighed in disappointment. No matter how hard they tried, Ryoma never took the hint, and it was beginning to irritate them.

Then Momoshiro got an idea. "Ah! Eiji, we need to go get something at the tennis shop, remember?" he winked at Eiji. "Oh! Hai, Momo-chan! We better go."  
"Would you like us to come too?" Sakuno asked.  
"No no! Echizen can talk you home! Right Echizen?" Momoshiro smiled  
"Huh? Oh..uh..Hai." Ryoma answered.  
"Ah..so young." Momoshiro mumbled. "Huh?" Sakuno and Ryoma said at the same time. "Got to go, bye!" Eiji smiled knowingly, once again, and they both ran away  
"Hm...isn't the tennis shop the other way?" Sakuno asked.  
"...H..Hai" Ryoma replied. "They're very...weird." Sakuno nodded.

They continued to walk till Ryoma finally said something. "You're a slow walker." Those weren't exactly the words Sakuno wanted to come out of his mouth. "I'm sorry, Ryoma-kun."  
"Hm? It's fine." '_You can be troublesome, sometimes even irritating, but you are easy to forgive.'_  
"Ryoma-kun? Are you mad at me...?"  
"Hm? Not at all. Why?"  
"Well you, you just seem like it, and you said I walk slow and you seem unhappy."  
"Well you do walk slow, and your hair is too long...-" He was interrupted by Sakuno's sigh. "Daijobu?" he asked. "Hai...I'm sorry, for always being a bother." She paused. "This is my street. I can walk the rest." "Ryu-" Ryoma tried to say, as she interrupted. "Bye.." and she ran up her street hiding the tears in her eyes.

--------------------------

**(Comments):**

I hope you like. Reviews are appreciated since this is my first story. I hope you enjoy. I do appreciate criticism, and yes I know this story isn't perfect, but I hope you enjoy.  
Anyway, here are the words and translations for all the Japanese I have and/or will use in this story:

-Mada mada dane: you still have a long way to go (Ryoma's favorite phrase...hopefully if you watch the anime, you probably already know that)

-Hai: yes

-Daijobu: are you okay?

-Ja ne: see you later

-Senpais: seniors

-Ano: excuse me


	3. Jealosy is self inflicted

"Ryu-Ryuzaki...RYUZAKI!" Ryoma yelled in his sleep. He was dreaming of what had just happened the day before.

BEEP! BEEP! BEE-

He turned off his alarm, and sighed. '_Why didn't I tell her? Why didn't I tell her she's not a bother? Why was I so stupid? She was crying. I'm a jerk, and a complete idiot. But...why did she seem so upset? Sure I was kind of a jerk, but it's not like I said anything more then usual...any why is it I'm so concerned...because...because she was crying.'_

He arrived at school early that morning, in hopes of finding Sakuno, but she on the other hand, was late, trying to avoid him. As he searched around, Momoshiro noticed him. "Ah! Echizen! Daijobu? You look tense." But Ryoma completely ignored him. He didn't care about Momoshiro's attempt to make conversation.

When he realized she wasn't outside, he went in the classroom. She wasn't there either, but he had no time to look for her or else he would be late for class. So he decided to sit down. He laid his head on his desk like usual, except this time he wasn't sleeping, he was thinking. Thinking about what he'd done, what he'd said, and mostly, thinking about Sakuno. Just then the door opened. "Ah, Ohayo, Ryuzaki-san." One of the girls said. Ryoma's head jolted at the sound of her name. "Ohayo" she answered quietly. Ryoma looked at Tomoka's seat. She wasn't there again. He became content knowing that now Sakuno would ask him to walk home with her, and he could apologize, but instead she just sat in her seat and barely answered the people talking to her. She wished Tomoka was here. Then she could talk to her about what happened with Ryoma, or just talk to her, to make herself feel better, but she wasn't, and she couldn't change that. She also wished she wouldn't have said all that stuff to Ryoma. '_After all, he didn't do anything, I was just being over-dramatic and stupid. Why me? Why am I so stupid?'_

Thankfully the bell rang and they hurried to their classes. For the whole day she avoided Ryoma as much as possible. Besides, it wasn't like Ryoma made much of an effort, at least it didn't seem like it. She was so focused on not looking at him, that she hadn't noticed him staring at her, daring for her to look his way so that he could apologize.

At the end of the day, Sakuno ran out the door as fast as possible. She had avoided Ryoma all day, and she didn't want to mess up all of her hard work. As she ran out the entrance, the bumped into someone. "Oh! Sorry! So Sorry!" She looked up to find, the one and only, Eiji. "Oh! Kikumaru!" "Konnichiwa, Sakuno-chan. Why do you look so upset?" "Kikumaru...can you keep a secret?" she asked. "Of course. Why don't we go sit down outside and talk." Eiji said. They sat on a bench, not to far from the tennis courts.

"So what's on you're mind?" Eiji asked.  
"Well...I...I like...Ryoma-kun...a lot." Sakuno answered.  
"Hm? Really? That's great! Eiji said, pretending to be surprised.  
"No...I...I ruined it. I'm always such a bother to him." Sakuno started to cry, but held back the tears.  
"No, I'm sure he doesn't think that." Eiji took her hand and assured her.  
"Arigato, Kikumaru-san. You are very kind." She smiled, and Eiji took her other hand in his.  
In the distance Ryoma walked back from the tennis courts, and saw two people on the bench. He looked at one of them. She had chestnut brown hair pulled back in braids. '_Hey...that's Ryuzaki. Who...who is she with...?'_  
He dropped his racquet as he saw who it was. Eiji. Eiji and Sakuno. Holding hands.  
"You have a lovely smile, Sakuno-chan." He heard Eiji say in the distance. Suddenly anger, rage, sadness, fear, and resentment all filled his head. He did the first thing that came to his head. Run. Run now. Run far away, so they never knew he was here. And without thinking he did.  
-------------------------------

**(Comments):**

I hope you like. Reviews are appreciated since this is my first story. I hope you enjoy. I do appreciate criticism, and yes I know this story isn't perfect, but I hope you enjoy.  
Anyway, here are the words and translations for all the Japanese I have and/or will use in this story:

-Mada mada dane: you still have a long way to go (Ryoma's favorite phrase...hopefully if you watch the anime, you probably already know that)

-Hai: yes

-Daijobu: are you okay?

-Ja ne: see you later

-Senpais: seniors

-Ano: excuse me


	4. I quit

Eiji heard a faint sound that kept getting fainter. He looked over, and saw something on the ground. It was a racket. Ryoma's racket. "Oh no, Ochibi..." "What's wrong Kikumaru?" Sakuno asked as she looked into his deep blue eyes. "O...Ochibi." he said quietly, still looking at the racket. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt. All this time he had been trying to fix Sakuno up with Ryoma, but he ended up making Ryoma jealous. At first he thought that was okay because it got some emotion on Ryoma's head for Sakuno, but before...before was different. Sure, Sakuno and Eiji were only friends, but Ryoma didn't know that, he didn't realize that. That was the problem. '_Now Ryoma thinks that I was trying to take Sakuno from him. Sakuno is nice, but much to young. Too young for me, but perfect for Ryoma, plus she's not my type. Not at all. I think of her as a friend. Not even like a sister. Just a friend._' "Uh...Sakuno-chan, I have to go." Eiji said as he started to walk away. "Hai, I see...Kikumaru, do you think that Ryoma-kun hates me now?" Sakuno asked before he left. "No, of course not. He could never hate you." he responded. And it was true.

----------------

2 hours later  
Ring...Ring...- "Hey this is Eiji, what's up?" "Kikumaru-senpai, we need to talk." Ryoma said on the other end. "Ah, Ochibi! What's with your tone? You seem tense. Is this about Sa-" "Just meet me at the Seigaku tennis courts in 20minutes. I want a match." Ryoma's voice was cold and harsh, but Eiji continued to sound calm. "Look, Ochibi. You don't want to do this. Let me explain." Eiji spoke gently. "Explain what? You don't want to have a simple match, senpai. Afraid you'll lose?" he taunted. "Ochibi!" Eiji protested. "20minutes" was all Ryoma had to say. He hung up. "Oh, Ochibi, I'm sorry..."

-----------------

"Are you sure he asked you to come here?" Momoshiro asked as Eiji and him had been wandering for 5minutes. "We're already 3minutes late. Let's just give up." "No, you should've heard him on the phone, he was so direct and upset. I need to make this right." Eiji assured him. Just then, a tennis ball flung straight between Eiji and Momoshiro's faces. "Ah, you're here." Ryoma said. Eiji looked into to his cold eyes. "O...chibi..." he whispered under his breath. "Let's do this." "Listen to me! Sakuno-chan means nothing to me. She's just a friend, if that." "You say she means nothing to you, yet you call her a friend? Don't your friends mean something to you? Of course from the way you're behaving, I guess it's not hard to believe. Wish I would've known that before you stabbed me in the back." Ryoma's voice was even colder then it was on the phone "Let's play." "You're very stubborn, Ochibi." Eiji smiled innocently. "Bring it on." Ryoma said, returning his smile with a small grin. Momoshiro blinked. "What just happened?" but no one answered. They walked toward the courts, and started to play, Eiji's serve. "This one's for you, Ochibi." He said as his eyes flickered and his smile got bigger. Ryoma returned it, and then Eiji did as well, but Ryoma missed. "15-0, Kikumaru." Momoshiro announced proudly. His eyes seemed to almost shimmer at the sound of his own voice. Kikumaru made another serve, Ryoma hit it back, but it hit outside the court. "Out! 30-0, Kikumaru." Ryoma sighed. He wasn't going to mess around. He didn't understand why but for some reason he wanted to get even. With Eiji. With Sakuno. And mostly, with himself. "There are those who boast only so they don't have to fear falling down, but if you keep putting yourself up so high, I guarantee, you will fall." He said. Eiji's eyes looked back at him with utter disbelief. '_Our little Ochibi is growing up.' _ Eiji started to serve, and just as he hit it he heard a voice. "Kikumaru, Ryoma-kun? Momoshiro-senpai?" Ryoma knew he shouldn't, but he turned to look at who it was, even though he knew who it was. _'Ryuzaki...' _ The ball hit the ground next to him, but Momoshiro and Eiji were also too busy looking at the girl. She blushed lightly at the attention. "Ano, may I ask...why are you all here?" "That is none of your business, now why are you here?" Ryoma responded, but he felt bad for his coldness. "I...I was getting something for my grandma...and th...then I heard something by the..c...courts so I came by." She stuttered. "ACHOO!" a girl behind Sakuno sneezed. _'(Ryoma):Hey that's Ryuzaki's friend...of course, she could never get the courage to come here alone at night.' _"Bless you." Momoshiro chimed in. "Ah, its Tomoka-chan. I take it you'll be coming to school again now?" Eiji asked. "H..HaiiiiCHO!..." Tomoka replied. "Or...maybe not...anyway, why were you guys playing tennis at this time, and more importantly...who was winning?"

"Well, why we're playing...you'd have to ask Ochibi that, but the winner...Ah, that'd be me...Momo-chan! The score is 40-0! Don't announce the score if you can't do your job." Eiji pouted. "WELL EXCUSE ME! I WAS TRYING TO BE POLITE! IT'S NOT LIKE YOU WEREN'T CHATTING AWAY!" Momoshiro defended. "R..R...Ryo...Ryom..." Sakuno started. "What do you want, Ryuzaki?" Ryoma asked. "Wh...wh..why were you playing so late?" she tried to say calmly, but her voice kept shaking. "Didn't I just get done telling you that It's none of your business?" "Ha...Hai. Excuse me for being rude. I didn-" "You're excused." Ryoma frowned. _'I really am a jerk...' _Eiji and Momoshiro couldn't take their eyes off of him. If Sakuno and Tomoka weren't there, they would have punched him really hard, right then and there, without the slightest hesitation. Sakuno looked at the ground. She didn't know what to do. She had a few options:

1) cry  
2) yell at Ryoma for being such a jerk  
3) run away

Somehow, those didn't work for her. So she chose number 4. "Well it was nice seeing all of you. I have all the stuff I need, and we better get back. Bye." And she walked away briskly, dragging Tomoka along. _'Usually Tomoka is the one dragging me...but she didn't just get her heart ripped out by the biggest tennis-obsessed jerk there is on the planet. Stupid Sakuno. He's just a guy. He's just a guy. He's just a guy. Not even that much. He's just some person. That's all.'_ But no matter how many times she tried repeating that, she would never believe it, and deep inside, she knew that as well.

They walked home talking only a little bit, mostly because Tomoka was loosing her voice, and Sakuno was too upset to say much. "S..Saaaa...Saa...-_COUGH-_...Saaakuunoe..you need toooo tell –_COUGH- _Ryo...oma...howww you fuh...feel." "Tomo-chan...don't speak. You're loosing your voice and it's pointless. Ryoma-kun doesn't like me. In fact he probably hates me. At least let me forget about this while I still have my dignity." Sakuno begged. "You're dignity? You're dignity? SAK

_-COUGH- _UNO! DIGNITY IS NOTHING COMPARED TO LOVE!" Sakuno sighed. Her friend would never understand.

------------------------------

"50-40, Echizen." Momoshiro announced once again. Ever since Ryoma saw Sakuno, he had been trying now, and Eiji didn't want to make him mad, so he tried, just not as much. It was Ryoma's serve. He hit it hard but suttle, and Eiji hit back, only to find that Ryoma hit it back harder. They kept hitting back and forth wondering when this would ever end when suddenly Ryoma looked at the clock above Eiji. _'7:43? Uh-oh. I better go. I have a lot of homework I couldn't do it before because I was too busy thinking about that stupid girl. She always gets me into problems like this. She is so troublesome.'_ He hit his head, then hit the ball back _'No it's my fault. I had to like her out of all of them. Her. Dang it. This would've been so much easier if I would've just picked a different girl. Why can't people pick who they like? It's a little unfair. Very unfair. That's it. I quit. I quit playing games. I quit denying it. I quit treating her that way. I quit being a jerk to her just so she doesn't know my feelings. I quit. I quit.'_ "I quit." Ryoma declared. "Huh?" Eiji stared at him, obviously very confused. _'He had been so determined before, and now, this?'_ "I, qu-it." Ryoma repeated. "You win. I have to go. Goodbye." He walked off the court. "Oh, and one last thing, Kikumaru-senpai," he shook his head back and fourth, then turned around with his back facing his two confused teammates. "Mada mada dane." "Echizen quit. Kikumaru wins by default." Momoshiro announced for the last time. He was still quite shocked. With that, Ryoma left. He went home, ate a little bit, did his homework, and lay down, thinking about nothing to do with Eiji, Momoshiro, Tomoka, or Sakuno. Nothing.

----------------------------------

**(Comments):**

I hope you like. Reviews are appreciated since this is my first story. I hope you enjoy. I do appreciate criticism, and yes I know this story isn't perfect, but I hope you enjoy.  
Anyway, here are the words and translations for all the Japanese I have and/or will use in this story:

-Mada mada dane: you still have a long way to go (Ryoma's favorite phrase...hopefully if you watch the anime, you probably already know that)

-Hai: yes

-Daijobu: are you okay?

-Ja ne: see you later

-Senpais: seniors

-Ano: excuse me

Also I am sorry for any tense errors. It's probably a bit confusing to read, because it's talking about it in past tense...sort of, but the people are thinking while it's happening, so they're thinking in present. Sorry about all that. Also sorry for any errors in grammar. Please, if you notice any extreme errors, or several repeating ones, message me about this. It's better to be edited by others than just yourself. I did use spell-check, but sometimes, they think that the words are different words, like racket and racquet. Anyway, thank you for reading.


	5. She has bad timing

Ryoma woke up. No alarm, no beep, but he woke up to the sound of his cousin asking his mother about breakfast. He looked at the time. His alarm hadn't even gone off yet, and it wouldn't for another 10minutes. He smiled at the extra time. _'Maybe...just maybe...'_ He got up quickly, got dressed, went down for breakfast and ended up taking an energy bar. He would need the energy to run that far. He took his backpack and ran to school quickly. He searched everywhere, praying that she'd be with her grandma, since Ryuzaki-sensei usually taught classes during the morning. He looked around, but she wasn't there. "I give up. She hates me now anyway. Might as well forget it. I better just forget it." He sighed. "forget what?" a voice asked. _'Man she has bad timing.'_ "huh?" The school bell rang. "Tell you what, I'll talk to you at the end of the day, I need a favor anyway, and we can go home after. Okay? Good. See you later." Sakuno stared dumbfounded as he walked away. _'Did he just ask me to walk home with him? No, he didn't even ask. He demanded.'_ Some how she didn't even care. She smiled. _'Maybe he doesn't hate me.'_

At the end of the day she met up with Ryoma. "So...um, what was that favor?" Ryoma looked at her funny. "Oh, that? I was just going to see if you'd let me take you to the barber. It's only like 5 minutes from here and normally they do only cut guy's hair, but I'm sure they could attempt to cut some of that long hair off. They're going to need very big scissors though. Probably like the ones that mayors use to cut big ribbons when they're opening new things like bridges and stuff." "Uh!" her heart shattered. She had nothing to say. _'Why the nerve of that little-' _She stopped herself. She didn't want to say anything to that. Mostly because she didn't know what to say to that.

"Um...Ryoma...about earlier when you said you'd tell me later..." Sakuno said, trying to break the silence. "Hm?" "'You said, 'well forget it, just forget it.' And I asked you what it was about, and you said you'd tell me later" She replied. "Oh yeah, uh long story. Besides, you're really nosy, Ryuzaki." He smirked. "Ryoma Echizen! Ugh! I've had enough of this. You were standing on school grounds, where I happen to go to school, and I happened to overhear you, so I asked you a simple question. I'm tired of you making me feel bad about how long my hair is, how slow I walk, or how nosy I am or how I always-" He put his finger on her lip. "Ryuzaki, you talk too much." Her faced turned extremely red, and he removed his finger and continued to walk. "You coming?" she nodded but still remained stationary. Then all of the sudden she felt the gaps between her fingers be filled...by his. He held her hand and started to walk along side of him. "Ryoma-kun why are you...doing this?" she managed to ask. "You said yourself that you're slow. I'm just making sure you can keep up, but if you really want I'll let go, and you can just-" "No, no, I...I...just" he looked away and continued to walk ignoring her, so she didn't bother finishing her sentence. With her free hand she started playing around with her braid. Analyzing it. Feeling it. Looking at every individual twist. "It's bothering you, what I said?" Ryoma finally acknowledged. "H...Hai. Were you really going to...to take me to a barber?" she sighed looking down. He let go of her hand, stopped walking, and stood in front of her. He then touched the braid she had been messing around with before, and felt her soft, gentle hair. "No." she sighed with relief when he said that. "Only I can touch your hair, Sakuno." He flashed her a smirk, and grabbed the hand he had been previously holding and continued to walk, dragging the one girl that he loved more then anything in the world, home, for hopefully not the last time. After all, to her, she was his princess. 

-------------------------

**(Comments):**

I hope you like. Reviews are appreciated since this is my first story. I hope you enjoy. I do appreciate criticism, and yes I know this story isn't perfect, but I hope you enjoy.  
Anyway, here are the words and translations for all the Japanese I have used in this story:

-Mada mada dane: you still have a long way to go (Ryoma's favorite phrase...hopefully if you watch the anime, you probably already know that)

-Hai: yes

-Daijobu: are you okay?

-Ja ne: see you later

-Senpais: seniors

-Ano: excuse me

Well that's it. Finally the end of my first story. Hope you like. :)


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